Musical instrument.



J. P. HULDER. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1909.

Patented July5, 1910.

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HuLder Joseph P. 551 h 61mm;

UNITED STATES PATENT orator.

JOSEPH P. BUILDER, OF NEW YQRK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 LUD'WIG 8a COMEANY, A.

CORPORATION GE NEW YORK.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application filed March 20, 1959. Serial No. 184,623.

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr P. Hnnnnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in manual and mechanically operated pianos and has reference particularly to that type of instrument having a pneumatic player mechanism.

The objects of my invention are to sim plify the construction of the pneumatic action of ,player pianos, to construct such action with few packing parts, and to provide means for obtaining a simple and etlicient adjustment and regulation of its strikmg pneumatics.

I attain the objects specified, as well as others which I have not enumerated, by means of the construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation in sedtion through one of the manual keys to show iny pneumatic action co-acting with the piano action, and also one of the sustaining pneumatics. Fi 2 is'a detail view in perspective of the valve seat; and Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of the guide block.

One or more wind chests-preferably three-arranged in approximately horizontal tiers are placed in the instrument. 1 construct these wind chests preferably in two parts, namely: a valve board part (1), and a pouch board part (2) fastened to the base of the valve board in any suitable manher. In using the term board to designate these parts, I do not necessarily limit myself to parts made of wood, as any other suitablematerial may be used in their construction.

Thevalve board (1) is formed with an extended portion which projects toward the front of the instrument and has its upper surface (3) beveled or inclined; A series of valve chambers lk-one of which is shown in the drawing-A's suitably formed in the upper surface of the valve board adjacent to its beveled extension.

In the base of the valve board, and ex tending continuously below all of the valve chambers, is an exhaust chamber (5) which communicates with each of said valve chambers respectively through an opening ((3) formed in the part of the valve board between the valve chambers and the exhaust chamber.

The exhaust chamber is suitably connected with means for exhausting the air therefrom, such as is ordinarily used in instruments of this class, but not shown in the accompanying drawings.

A puppet valve adapted to control the passage of air from and to the striking pneumatic is seated in each of the valve chambers. This valve comprises the valve stem (7) provided at its upper end with a disk-shaped valve head (8) which is seated normally on an annular valve seat The valve seat is constructed with a plurality of vertical fingers or projections (10) spaced apart around the outer edge and adapted to'guide the head of the valve when it is raised from its seat.

To the upper surface of the valve board, above the valve chambers, is suitably fastened a plate (11) having a circular opening (12), the edge of the plate surrounding the said opening being formed in a depressed lip (13) located directly above the valve head and arranged to act as a valve seat for the upper surface of said valve head when the valve is raised rom its seat (9) to a position against said lip.

The foot of the valve stem is provided with a disk-shaped. follower (14), to the outer edge of which is fastened a flexible diaphragm (15) separating the exhaust chamber from an air chamber (16) formed in the pouch board. Each of these chambers communicates through a bent pipe (17) and a suitable tube (18) with a primary pneumatic, of the type ordinarily used, but not shown in the acocmpanying drawings.

A series of air passages or channels (19) are formed in the extension of the valve board, with their axes approximately parallel to the inclined surface thereof, and

each having its upper or rear end entering one of the valve chambers (44), and its lower or forward and communicating with the interior of one of the striking penumatics through a port (20) and an aperture formed in the stationary wall -(2-1).

In the normal position of the player mechanism the striking pneumatic is in direct tagnnmiuication with the outer air through the channel (19) and the opening at the top of the valve chamber. In this I osition the uppet valve will be seated on and the chamber (16) will be in connection through the tube (18) with the air tension normally maintained in the rim-ary pneumatic. I

Whenever a per oration in the music roll opens the corresponding vent in the tracker board, air will be drawn into the primary pneumatic causing its valve to operate so as to admit air into the chamber (16) of the secondary pneumatic. The combined action of the air tension in chamber (a) and the air pressure in chamber (16) on the pouch of the secondary pneumatic will raise the secondary valve (8) from its seat to its seat (13) and thereby shut off the outer air communication of the striking pneumatic and establish a passage between it and the exhaust chamber so that the contained air may be exhausted.

Onthe beveled surface of the valve board is mounted a series of striking neumatics,

cone of which is shown in the drawing, having their open ends facing to the front of the instrument. The stationary wall (21) "of each of said pneumatics is fastened to the inclined surface of the valve board. The movable wall ('22) is suitably fastened 13.0 the rear end of the stationary wall by means ofv a hinge (23). A flexible covering or bellows (24) unites the two walls and completes the constructiomof the striking pneu-, matic. v

The movable wall carries a lever arm (25) which extends rearwardly beyond the hmge and is suitably connected at its free end by means of adjustable stops (26) to the lower.

endof a pitman (27) which is arranged to tiona wall with a lug which pro'ects beyon the opening end of 'the strilring pneumatic Regulating screws (32)-0ne for each of the striking neumsttics-ereadjustablyv fastened at t eir threaded ends (33) to the lug. These regulating screws carry stops or buttons (34) which are adapted to be adjusted so as to arrest the downward motion of the movable wall at any re quired point. The heads (35) of said screws are bent at approm'mateiy right angles to their shanks so as to cobperat'e with the guide block (36) as a stop to arrest the upward motion or" the movable wall at any predetermined point.

To the movable wall of each of the neumaticsis securely fastened a guide lock (36) having a slotted portion (3'?) which extends beyond the regulating screw. The slot is made sufliciently wide to permit the guide blockto move or slide upon the regulating screw so as to keep the movable wall in alinement with the stationary wall. The regulation afforded by means of this screw ,and button permits the striking pneumatic,

as well as the lever arm actuated and car- 'requirements of the piano action, while the movement of the guide blocks upon the fixed screws causes the parts to move in exact alinement.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pneumatic action for musical. i11- struments, the combinationwith a striking and a channel formed in the extended part in a directiopparallel to itsbeveled top, 'conununicatingiat one end with-the valve chamber and atits. opposite end with the striking pneumatic.

2. In a pneumatic-action for musigal in-' struments, a pup et valve board comprising a beveled exten ed part provided with a ortin its beveled surface and a channel ormed in said extended part approximately arallel to its beveled surface communicat- 'ing with said m. 1

I 3. In a pneuznaticaction for musical in strumentsy a chest comprising a puppe valve board having ,a beveled extended part providfifistith a of ports in its beveled valve chambers communicating with the exhaust; chamber; and a of channels formed in the extended part, in a direction approximately parallel to its beveledtop, each communicating at one end with a valvc chamber and at its opposite end with one of said orts.

- a pneuma ic action for musical instruments,the combination with a series of striking p neumatics, of a wind chest comprising a uppet valve board having a beveled eaten e part upon which are mounted the striking neumatics; an exhaust chamher; a series of valve chambers communicating with the exhaust chamber; and a series of channels formed in the extended part approximately parallel to its beveled surface, each communicating at one end with a valve chamber and at its opposite end with a/striking pneumatic.

' 5., In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination with a tone pro ducing action, of a wind chest comprising a puppet valve board having a beveled extended part; a channel formed in said extended-part, diagonally to its base in a diried by it, to be accurately adjusted to they neumatic, of apuppet valve board having surfaoe;*' an exhaust, chamberg-a series of lit? rec'tic-n approximately parallel to its beveled top; a striking pneumatic with its stationary wall fastened to the beveled surface of said extended part; an aperture formed through the stationary wall and opening into said channel; ahinged movable wall; a lever arm fastened to the m'ovable wall and extending rearwardly beyond the hinge and engaging the lower end of a pitman; a pitman having its upper end engaging the wippen of a tone producing action; and

means for adjusting the engagement of the lever armtwlth the pitman.

6. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, a striking pneumatic comprising movable and immovable Walls; a lug secured to one wall; a regulating screw adjustable in said lug; a stop movably mounted on said screw; a guide block fastened to the other wall and provided with a slotted portion extending beyond the regulating screw and adapted to accommodate it in said slot.

7. In a. pneumatic action of a musical instrument, a device for regulating and alin ing the movable and immovable Walls of a striking pneumatic, comprising a striking pneumatic; a stationary lug fastened to the immovable wall; a regulating screw adjustable in the lug; a stop adjustable on said screw adapted to arrest the downward motion of the movable wall; and a slotted guide block carried on the movable-wall, slidable on the regulating screw and adapted to receive the head thereof so as to arrest the upward motion of the movable wall.

8. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, a striking pneumatic having a movable and an immovable wall; means for egulating the pneumatic comprising an ad- .gastable member adapted to limit the expansion of the pneumatic, and a stop, movable on said member, to limit the contraction; and means for alining the movement of the walls with respect to each other, comprising a guide slidable on said adjustable member.

JOSEPH P. HULDER.

Witnesses: LAURA H. MAoDownLL, MICHAEL J. OWENS. 

